There's a reason we play a version of Peek-A-Boo during every Zumbini class - Peek-A-Boo is actually a powerful tool to help your baby develop!
Strengthen their core muscles - Whether your baby is on their tummy or sitting up playing Peek-a-boo requires a lot of muscle control! Or maybe your baby will crawl to you to pull your hands away from your face so you can say BOO! Each time they go from laying down to sitting/crawling/walking they are working those important core muscles.
Fine Motor Skills - When baby is ready to cover their own face or play Peek-A-Boo with a blanket they are strengthening the fine motor skills they will need later on to brush their teeth, tie their shoes or draw with a crayon! Pinching, grasping and holding the blanket PLUS coordinating both hands moving together to lift and lower the blanket is an amazing way to start building these skills.
Learning Object Permanence - Discovering that an object or a person will still be there even when they're out of sight is an important cognitive development that all babies have to learn and practice!
Build Prediction Skills - Peek-a-boo is all about repetition and routine. Even if there are small changes in the game it remains mostly the same. After a few rounds of the game baby begins to anticipate and predict what comes next - a very important skill that will be used as your baby grows up.
Develop Language Skills - Using the same language over and over again helps your baby learn words and gives meaning to those words. Soon they will be able to imitate those learned words and say "BOO" along with you! As they get older they can practice saying those words themselves OR you can change the game to "where am I?" to help them learn about inflection in voices.
Learn Social Skills - Playing peek-a-boo is a two player game and everything that baby is doing during the game will teach them the social skills they will use their entire life. Things like eye contact, maintaining attention, imitation, gesturing, and eventually taking turns can all be learned through playing Peek-A-Boo with their loved ones.
Parent/Child Bonding Time - Nothing helps your baby develop more than direct interaction with their parents or caregivers. The years from birth to age 5 are critical to the success of that child as an adult and they need YOU to give them your attention, your care and your love.
Siblings Can Play Too - Sometimes big sister or big brother can feel a little left out, a little unsure of what to do with their new sibling. Peek-a-boo is SO EASY and when everyone can play you feel a strong sense of family connection.
Come play Peek-A-Boo together at Zumbini! Classes meet online Mondays 6:30 pm or Saturdays 10:00 am! Register at www.Moxie.xyz/MissJody
See you soon,
Miss Jody
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